Minneapolis police have effectively removed a public memorial shrine dedicated in honour of Justine Damond, a woman who was fatally shot by an officer earlier this summer. The officer in question is Mohamed Moor, a man of Somali descent, who shot Damond when she approached his cruiser after she had called the police to report an alleged rape in an alleyway near her home; Damond was unarmed.
This past Friday, California-based white nationalist group Identity Evropa erected a memorial which included photos, candles, roses and signs. The group tweeted an image of their public shrine, which specifically called-out the racial and ethnic background of the shooter, as if to publicize his non-white presence.
It has been noted that this group played an essential role in planning the Charlottesville white nationalist riots in August, as well as creating the infamous "You will not replace us" chant that was heard reverberating throughout the violent rally this past year.
Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder publicly denounced the group's shrine by stating "We cannot allow any memorial and anything like that to be put up at that location." Furthermore, mayor-elect Jacob Frey effectively denounced the entire white nationalist movement by saying "Identity Evropa and those who share their values have no place in our city. Hate has no place in Minneapolis. Period."